Weakness: Not an Option
by CloveWhoThrowsKnives
Summary: Laurel is a typical District 9 girl, but things get messy when she breaks the law with her best friend, Gri. She finds her only friend dead, and her own punishement? No, not death, worse. Getting reaped for the 26th annual Hunger Games, where she has to deal with snotty partners, crazy capitol people, and finding her inner self. Rated K plus because it's the Hunger Games.
1. Breaking the Law

**_AN:_  
**

**_Hi guys! This is my first story ever! So please enjoy it. Review as I add on.. Chapter One should be up soon. :)_**

**_Okay, you need to ignore the chapter titles, because they are wrong, so I put them at the top of the chapter instead._**

**_-Blaise_**

**Prologue**

We are rebels. Leaping through the endless grain fields of District 9. This is unusual for me, a Goody-Goody, to be breaking the law, but Gri had finally convinced me. I look over to her as she picks up a piece of grain and stuffs it into her mouth.

"They'll never find us!" she yells, her thick brown hair swaying in the light breeze.

"Well, if you yell that loud, then they will for sure!" I say and roll my eyes.

"Laurel, stop being a worry wart and have some fun!" she replies. "You can't get in trouble, this is my field!"

"Well I just don't want to get caught, I can still get in trouble for ruining the crops" I explain.

We both lie down in the sun, I flip out my blonde curly hair so it stretches out behind me. Gri puts her long legs out far past mine. She's tall and lanky, while I'm short and big boned.

"Are you excited for the reaping tomorrow?" Gri jokes.

"If I was a Career I would be," I reply.

"What if I'm picked?"

"Like that will ever happen, you don't have a tesserae! I do!"

"It only takes one."

I roll my eyes again.

"Why do you think like that?" I ask

"Like what?"

"Negative."

"Sure, I'm the negative one, _I just don't want to get caught! _Please!"

Our heads zip towards the edge of the field as we hear the thumping of feet on the field.

Peacekeepers.

Our eyes fill with terror. We can't escape. All that's in front of us is doom, and all that's behind us is grain, and a fence.

"We were patrolling, and heard your yelling." the peacekeeper says, "Get up with your hands on your head."

I do as he says, but Gri...I guess she can't resist the chance to argue, and not do as she's told. Especially when it comes to peacekeepers.

"No," she argues.

"Gri! You're going to get killed!" I scold.

She gets up, but her hands are at her sides.

"Hands on your head!" he orders.

"No, I don't care what you say, what he says, or what Snow says! I'm staying right where I am with my hands at my side!"

Everyone's mouths drop, except hers. Her eyes are narrowed, her arms crossed, and her lips pursed.

Then, a bullet goes through her head.

"NO!" I cry. This wasn't happening. I'm going to wake up, and we're going to be picking grain tomorrow and...

"Take her away," he orders as I snap into reality.

My eyes spill with tears as they drag me to the Justice building.

I drag my feet as they walk me over there. When we get inside, they throw me down on a couch in front of the head peacekeeper. One of the most unforgiving one's we've ever had. She looks at me with disgust and says, "Put her name in another 100 times, that should discipline her.

"What if she wins?" a Peacekeeper says.

"You really think a girl of fourteen and this size will win?" she snaps.

"I'm fifteen!" I object.

"For that attitude, your name will be put in 150 times instead. Jark, go get that figured out. Say it's a punishment, not a tesserae. You can walk home now, District 9 tribute," she snarls.

I walk home, and as I do it starts to rain. Mother Nature grieving over the fallen angel. I start to cry. Not only for Gri, but because I'm a natural girly girl, and most people are surprised I wouldn't live in District 1 because of the way I act and look. I have no chance at winning. Not one bit.

I approach my house and look at my parents that greet me. They know.

"Laurel, is there something you want to tell us?" my father asks accusingly.

"I broke the law and now Gri is dead!" I exclaim. Then I collapse into my parents' arms.

"Honey, it's okay, you're alive and that's all that matters," my mother comforts.

"But they're putting my name in 150 times! So I'll be dead in two weeks!" I tell them.

My mother goes into a trance of staring off into the distance, and my father stands up. I should have never done this.

"Let's get inside, it's cold," my mother finally says.

She puts out the chicken broth we are having for dinner. We eat in silence. Let the 26th annual Hunger Games begin.

When I finish my soup, I walk to my room so I can get to bed early. My mother tucks me into bed, which hasn't happened since I was eleven. She must be stressed. Her only daughter competing in the most gruesome thing ever. I lay in my bed thinking about the Hunger Games this year. I can handle a knife pretty well, since I cut the grain in the summer. Axes don't seem hard, neither to spears. I should listen to my mentor, that could help a lot. I hope my partner isn't Gri's brother, that would suck for her family. I finally cry again. About everything, Gri, me, my family, Gri's family. This is the worst day of my life, and Gri wouldn't be dead if she hadn't convinced me to come on her, "excursion."

I start to scream bloody murder at my ceiling. Why did I even live here in the first place? Why could I not live in District 1, or 2? Or even the Capitol! That would be a lot better than this.

My mother must hear me screaming, because she walks in and strokes my hair. She sings an old District 9 lullaby.

_"And the darkest day I have ever seen  
Was the one that came with that dawn  
And you went rushing back  
To the world where you came from"_

I sob some more, and reach the lightest sleep.


	2. The Reaping

_**AN:**_

_**Hi, so here's the next chapter. I hope you like it. Please review, I really need some good feedback!**_

_**-Blaise**_

**Chapter**** 1**

Today is the reaping.

I didn't get much sleep last night, and when I did, I watched Gri die. My mother told me I had been screaming and yelling for her. I realized that she won't be visiting me in the Justice Building. Only my parents, and maybe some unexpected visitors.

At 6:00 A.M. we start the two hour walk to the city. The hot sun was beating down on us in the early morning. My feet hurt and my back was sore from bending down. I remember last year when Laycie, Gri's sister was picked. I invited her over to my house, and watched the parade together, her costume, as we thought, was amazing, and we hoped she would win. Even if she wasn't the best person in the world, annoying us constantly and teasing us. A week later we watched District 1 kill her in the bloodbath. We cried all night, I felt bad for Gri, her brother, and her parents, so I made a loaf out of the small amounts of wheat I had been given for Christmas. They told me it tasted delicious. Those were better times.

When everyone is assembled at the town square, and the children in their sections, Fannia, the escort, tip-toes out onto the stage and says in her Capitol accent, "Aren't you just giddy? Happy 26th, and may the odds be in your favor! Now, I know that you all want to know who your tributes will be so let's get started. Girls first, like always." there's a pause as she stuffs her hand into the large glass bowl. "Laurel Hall!" she yells.

Who knew, that's my name.

I walk onto the stage with a glare on my face. Not fear, anger. No one volunteers. Gri would have, but she's gone now. No one applauds. All I could see was the sunken faces of sellers, and crop workers.

"Boys, it's your turn!" Fannia exclaims. "Whytt Lapworth!"

A muscular boy that a boy about the age of 17 walks onto the stage. I stare at him in awe. He had dark black hair that is spiked up. His lime green eyes glistened like emeralds. He was going to win. I just knew it by his posture and size.

"You can visit them if you would like in the Justice Building, ta ta!" she says and rushes us off stage.

We are put in separate rooms, and I don't think it's a coincidence that it's the same room as the one I went to yesterday. I purse my lips and wait for someone to walk in. Finally, my father does.

"You win this. Prove to them that this isn't a punishment, that you do have the strength to win, and that they are wrong. Got it? I'm sorry your mother couldn't make it, she's a little depressed. I love you, and she loves you too, but I have to go because there's someone waiting outside, see you when you get back, okay?" my father tells me. I can tell he feels a bit uncomfortable standing in here, because his face is beat red, and his voice cracks in some places. I nod and hug him tightly.

He leaves, and I watch Ostrom, Gri's brother walk in. He hands me a loaf of bread and walks out, saying nothing. I look at the bread closely. It's the same kind I made for their family when Laycie died. I'm guessing it's a sign of thanks. I am going to win this. For Gri, for Ostro, for my father, and most of all, for my life. Fannia walks in to take me to the train. I am ready. I am going to win.


	3. Whytt

**AN:**

**Enjoy this chapter! **

**-Blaise**

We get on the train, and I can't help but stare at Whytt. He's definitely a field worker, because his muscles define plows. The train is stuffy, and we sit down in some comfortable chairs in the car. After a few moments of silence, he starts a conversation.

"I heard a rumor, that you broke the law..is it true?" he asks.

"Yes, with one other girl," I reply.

"What happened to her?"

"Didn't want to go with the peacekeepers"

"Ah, dead, eh?"

My eyes flare as I flinch. It comes like a blow at the stomach.

"Yes." Then I walk to find my room.

"Laurel! I didn't mean to hurt you, I just..."

"Look, you might not care, but she was the only other person I knew besides family. We never went to town except for reapings, and I'm only here because of the incident yesterday. I miss her, she cared, she would have volunteered and now she's gone!" I sob.

He says nothing so I go find Fannia.

She meets me one car over and says that my room is another two cars away. I storm off and wipe my face from tears. Again, mascara smears down my damp face. When I get to my room, I lay down on my bed and cry some more. I want to go home, the only tribute that wears mascara that could actually win would be from District 1, the tribute career.

The bathroom connected to my room is like paradise. I see all different types of lotions and soaps to use on your hands. Then I look in the mirror. I see a miserable girl from District 1. No wait, 9. I really don't know at this point where I really come from or who I really am. I just want to go back to when we decided to break the law and say no. Then Gri would still be here, and I would probably be at home, cooking a feast for Gri's family and mine.

Fannia comes to get me for supper. I sit down to a meal of turkey, green beans, rice, and wheat rolls. Bread...

I sigh. This wheat comes from the District 9 fields, more specifically, Gri's field. I don't feel like eating anyways, none the less, bread, that came from Gri's field. I get up and walk to my room. I sit on the silky bed, and look at the wall for a while. My head snaps up when I hear the door open. Flowa Metann, our mentor is standing in the doorway, and she walks in.

Flowa is the only living mentor from District 9, like District 12, who's only mentor is Haymitch. Barely anyone sees her, only tributes, occasionally, so her visit to me right now is very rare.

"I know how you feel honey, may I come in?" she says.

I nod.

"When I was 12, me and my friend would break the law, she loved to steal things, and she was good at it too, the sad thing is that one day, she was drunk, at age 12, and decided to steal from the Justice Building. You know our head peacekeeper, mean grouchy, total ignorance for everyone, unless they break the law. Well, she tried to take her prized possession, her badge, and when she was caught, the last thing I can remember of her is her pale face smiling when she was shot in the heart. Worst day of my life. Of course, my punishment was getting put in the games, like you, and, I decided that, I should win, and look where I am now. Alive. But, still grieving over my losses, like, my parents, my sisters, so I hid myself from the world, hiding the punishment I was given, you seem different from the other tributes, I hope you win, and please, don't let your friend get in the way, focus on your life, and how happy she would be if you won," Flora tells me. Her green eyes are looking at me, and her brown hair quivering in the slight breeze coming from the air conditioner. She looks like Gri in a way, adventurous, free, but something is hiding it, like this wild person is just waiting to come out, but fear is hiding it inside her.

I watch her walk out. I don't feel much alone anymore. If I have troubles, I know who I can talk to, now I can finally realize what she said, I need to focus on my life, and the people at home waiting for me. Now I can realize that weakness is not an option.


	4. The Parade

**AN:**

**FInally figured out how to upload chapters! YAY ME! I really want people to read my fanfic..barely anyone is! **

**:(**

**-Blaise**

Chapter 3: The Parade

My meeting with Flowa bewildered me. I was even more surprised when she showed up for breakfast this morning. she's grinning, talking to Whytt, he must have charmed her.

I clear my throat and say, "So, what's the plan? How are you going to mentor us?"

Flowa shrugs and replies, "You can do it individually or seperatly, it doesn't matter to us. "

I glare at Whytt and answer, "I think I want to train _alone_."

He snorts.

I don't eat the breakfast of eggs, toast, sausage, biscut, and gravy, I still don't feel hungry. I decide to stare at my food, until Flowa talks to me.

"You hungry, Darlin?" she wonders.

I shake my head.

"Okay, we're almost there anyways," she sighs.

I realize I'm still in my pajamas, and walk back to my room. I find an outfit to wear, a navy long sleeved button down polo and black pants. I brush my teeth, and pull my curly hair into a tight ponytail. I stare at myself in the mirror, but stumble a bit when the train comes to a stop. This must mean we're in the capitol.

* * *

In the remake center, three bazaar people do things to my frail body. They wax every single hair that's not on my head, they wash my hair, wash my body, clean my face, dry my hair, and finally leave. They say my stylist, Melodana, is ready to see me. I bite my lip as they walk out, and she walks in.

I think she looks more bazaar than anyone else I've seen. Her eyes look bigger than normal, and her nose, unbelievably tiny. Her pale skin is stretched out, and her curly blue hair is piled on top of her head. She has a skin tight white dress that cut below her knees, and a long white cape following.

She circles around me for a while, and then nods. One of the bazaar people walks in with a giant dress, which I assume is my costume. It's a strapless dress, on the top it's black and velvet, but the bottom-oh the bottom-puffs out and it's made of over a thousand pieces of faux grain facing downwards. I smile at it.

I put on the dress, and she sits in a chair and frowns. I can tell she's eyeing my curly hair. She walks out of the room, and then walks back in with a device. I can't tell what it is though. She sits me down and takes my ponytail out. She turns the device on, and clamps my hair in it, slowly pulling through. That once curly lock of hair is now perfectly straight. I look at it, amazed.

She does this with the rest of my hair. Once in a while, the device would burn me. I didn't expect it to be hot.

When she is finished, my curly hair that once rested on my shoulders is absolutely straight and reaches my middle back. Melodana then goes to a drawer and pulls out more pieces of fake grain and pins them to my hair. They land right below the tips of my hair. Lastly, she puts gold hair extensions in.

For makeup, she takes some gold eyeliner and makes a huge wing on boths eyes. The wing reaches my upper temple, and ends in the middle of my cheek bone. She brushes my face with gold shimmer dust, puts some dark pink lipstick on me, puts on mascara, and dyes the tips of my eyelashes gold.

She leads me out to where the chariots are. She still hasn't said a word. I start to wonder why, when Whytt approaches me. His costume barely covers anything. Let's just say, the only place that's covered..is his "lower body," and that's made out of grain. His head piece looks like a grain crown. It's almost laughable, but still, I don't say anything to him.

A man, that I think is Whytt's stylist approaches us.

"Laurel, take this basket," he says in a deep voice, "inside it is grain, throw it to the audience, Whytt, stand and wave, it's just about to start, good luck!" He walks away.

Someone directs me to the District 9 chariot, and we wait as District 1 goes, and before we know it, District 8 has gone, and we're starting to move.

The first thing I see is the audience, screaming in delight, watching us in our magnificent costumes. I start to throw grain, and they scream louder. Whytt waves and blows kisses at girls, and they scream even more. They love us, they want his kisses, and my grain. I smile at them, it's fake, they don't know the horrors of the Districts, and they don't need to, so I smile at them, really wanting to cut each and every one of their throaths out.

Suddenly, the chariot comes to a stop, and President Snow speakes.

I don't listen. I'm too busy staring at the other costumes, most of them are lame, some of them work for their District, but, even if I'm not the most conceited person, I have to say that ours have to be the best.

The chariots move again, and we're done.

We get praise from our mentors, and Flowa _does_ show up. We also get praise from Whytt's stylist, but Melodana still doesn't say a word.

I smile to myself as we start walking to our apartment.

**Review! Favorite! ANYTHING PLEASE!**


	5. Stuck

**AN: Hey, sorry I haven't been on in a while, busy with school and everything, and my dad still has my laptop so I have to use my TV computer where everyone can see it *eye roll* But, I finally have the house to myself, and I'm free to write!**

Chapter 4: Stuck

Fannia leads us to the elevator, which will take us to where we're staying on level nine.

The worst part about walking with her: She wouldn't shut up. I don't know how I ever blocked her out, but I know that I didn't pay much attention to her the first couple days I've been spending with her. I've been too busy grieving oever Gri. Now that I'm listening to her more, she has an annoying laugh that sounds like a mouse sneezing, and she talks with a thick Capitol accent which is utterly distracting.

"Laurel, you should really straighten your hair more it looks _gorgeous!" _Fannia tells me.

"I would if I knew how.." I mumble.

"Oh, and Whytt, holy garzunkletts, you are _fit" _She muses.

"Thanks?" he says, sounding a bit uncomfertable.

We reach the elevators, and, of course, my large and very poufy dress won't fit into the tiny elevator with eveyone else. So, of all people, Whytt volunteers to go nin the elevator alone with me, and after close instruction from Fannia, we step into the elevator. I jam my fist on the button, and fold my arms, not making eye contact with him.

"Look, Laurel, I know that you don't like me very much because of something I said about Glee-"

"Gri" I correct stubbernly.

"Yeah, whatever her name is, but the point is that I'm-" he stops because we've reached the ninth floor, but he doesn't get out. In fact, he doesn't even let the doors open. Instead, he presses the main level button.

"What? What are you- we were at our level Whytt!" I exclaim.

"Well, I need more _private _time to talk to you!" he explains. I roll my eyes but understand. A little.

"I'm sorry that I insulted you about your-" the elevator stops again and he hits another button, the one with the number seven on it.

"Wrong one!" I say.

He sighs and jams on 8, and again on 10, every button but nine, out of frustration. Then, he does the stupidest thing ever. He presses the 'stop' button. I look at Whytt.

"Dammit look what you did!" I yell.

I sit on the floor, and my dress puffs out everywhere, and pushing Whytt into the corner.

"And guess what, Gri, I just got stuck in an elevator with an almost naked guy!" I mutter to myself.

"This is just getting better and better," Whytt sighs sarcastically. "What I have been trying to say was that I'm sorry I insulted you and your friend. It was rude, and I felt really bad. I get it if you won't forgive me, but I'm still sorry."

"I'm not going to forgive you, I watched my best friend die right in front of me. Do you really think that I'm going to forgive someone that insulted her..." I stop. My head starts to pound and I close my eyes.

Everything blurs and I see Gri standing in front of me, her straight brown hair waving in the wind. She's gorgeous, tall, pure, angelic, we're in the field again, eating grain as we go, we crash and fall. Suddenly, we hear footsteps running through the field. We look at each other in horror. I close my eyes in fear. There's a gunshot, and I open my eyes. I'm back in the stuck elevator.

"Are you okay?" Whytt's hands are on my shoulders.

"Yes! Get OFF of me!" I scream in annoyance.

I sigh. I don't want to be stuck here for too long. We have training in the morning and I don't know how early it starts. At this rate, I'm pretty sure that they don't know we're stuck, but they're wondering where we are. I yawn. This might be awhile.

I remember a time similar to this, not exactly the same, but similar.

Gri and I were taking a trip to town to buy something nice to eat after a reaping. None of our family members had gotten picked that year, and it was worth celebrating. It was around 6 P.M. on a Sunday, and when we stepped into the butcher's shop, no one was there. Gri shut the door as we walked in.

After a couple minutes of shouting, "hello?" and "anybody home?" we heard the door click. I ran to it and tried to open it, but it was such a low quality door, you could only open it from the outside and it was locked. We both stared at each other for a moment and thought about our situation. Everyone had probably left town already, and we were locked in the shop farthest from our houses.

Gri spoke before me., "I guess we'll just have to eat all this meat laid out for us, don't want to starve to death over night, do we?"

I laughed and start to bang on the door. After a couple hours, I hear Gri's mom yelling our names outside. Gri joins in yelling with me, and after a long process of waiting for her to find the butcher, we got out at 9 P.M., a nice dinner of cold vegetable stew and bread waiting for us at home.

I look over to Whytt, "Do you know what time we got stuck?"

He shrugs, "around 9, why?"

"Just wondering."

I bury my face into my dress. Minute by minute, I'm getting more and more tired. That's one of my worst weaknesses, I get drowsy very quickly. Not good when it comes to the Hunger Games.

30 minutes pass by, and I start to lose hope. I lay my head on my dress and attempt to fall asleep.

* * *

"OH MY GOSH ARE YOU GUYS OKAY?!" Fannia squeals nervously, I jerk awake and see the elevator has opened.

"More like, how in the name of Panem did you get stuck in the most efficient elevator in the Capitol?!" Flowa spurts.

I stand up and look over to Whytt, who's looking off in the distance. He looks back at me, and then to Flowa. He sighs and admits the he screwed up the elevator. Flowa rubs her eyes in annoyance, and we start walking to our suite. I take a look around at the fancy decor, the mahogany table, the glass coffee table, and the blank wall where the TV projector will be.

I look to Fannia with hazy eyes. I'm too tired to speak, or do anything, really.

"Your rooms are right over here," she leads us down a hallway and there's two doors across each other. I enter one and immediately throw myself onto the giant bed, in the dress, not worrying about it. I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.


End file.
